Laboratory support clamp structure

ABSTRACT

Clamp structure for stably holding one or more laboratory utensils, such as a beaker, test tube, heating pan or other articles, in the hand or on a bench standard. The structure comprises a rigid handle mounting member and associated readily adjustable clamps and handle extensions for ready application to and removal from each other or various other articles to be supported. Preferably the structure includes a utensil support extending from the handle mounting member, and readily operable means for adjusting the support on the handle.

United States Patent [191 McBrien LABORATORY SUPPORT CL-AMP STRUCTURE[76] Inventor: Roger William McBrien, 211 Hi Point Pl., East Alton, 111.62024 [22] Filed: July 13, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 162,160

[52] US. Cl. 16/114 R, 24/278 [51] Int. Cl B65d 23/10 Field of Search16/114 B, 116 R,

16/114 A, 110 A, DIG. 25; 24/278, 243 CH, 243 LC, 243 AC, 243 SC;294/31.2; 248/316, 361 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS1,828,106 10/1931 Ertola 294/3l.2 1,977,364 10/1934 Wolcott 1 294/31.22,693,015 1l/l954 Richards et al.... 24/243 LC 2,914,831 12/1959 McBrien24/278 2,979,760 4/1961 Sladky 16/110 A 3,254,386 6/1966 McBrien 24/278Dec. 4, 1973 3,272,529 9/1966 Rachman 294/3 1.2

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 457,784 7/1913 France 16/114 A 434,8525/1949 ltaly 267,089 5/1950 Switzerland 16/1 14 A Primary ExaminerMarionParsons, Jr. Attorney-Bede & Burgess [57] ABSTRACT Clamp structure forstably holding one or more laboratory utensils, such as a beaker, testtube, heating pan or other articles, in the hand or on a bench standard.The structure comprises a rigid handle mounting member and associatedreadily adjustable clamps and handle extensions for ready application toand removal from each other or various other articles to be supported.Preferably the structure includes a utensil support extending from thehandle mounting member,

and readily operable means for adjusting the supporton the handle.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures LABORATORY SUPPORT CLAMP STRUCTURE Theinvention involves improvements on and additions to structure disclosedin earlier patents issued to the present inventor, US. Pat. Nos.2,693,015; 2,914,831 and 3,254,386, which render the clamp structuresmore versatile and afford additional convenience to the user.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a beaker with a rigid C- shaped handlemounting member readily applied to and detachable from the beaker.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are horizontal sections on lines 22, 3-3 and 4-4 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the upper clamp jaws shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows another form of utensil which may be carried by the upperclamp shown in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1 a cylindrical beaker B to which a rigid handle mountingmember, such as an aluminum casting, is readily applied and removed. Thehandle mounting member includes an upright shank l and integral lowerand upper hollow lateral arms 2, 3 each terminating at its outer end indiverging jaws 4 and 5, respectively, seated against the side of thebeaker. Flexible ties 6 and 7 are doubled so as to encircle the beaker.

The ends of tie 6 are inserted in the associated arm 2 and attached to athreaded drawbar 8 of square cross section and slidable lengthwise inthe arm but held against rotation therein by a fixed washer 9 with asquare aperture. A nut 11 is rotatably seated on the exterior of shank 1and is threaded onto drawbar 8. Rotation of the nut in one directiontakes up slack and tightens the tie around the beaker. Rotation of thenut in the opposite direction permits the drawbar to move to the left,loosening the tie. If nut 11 feeds off the drawbar the latter may bepulled out of arm 2 and the hook disengaged.

While the attaching elements may be duplicated on arm 3 and a person maygrasp the handle shank 1 directly, increased convenience may result ifone or more extension handholds 14, 15 are applied to the handle shank.Each handhold is an elongated tube having a transversely extendingchannel-shaped terminal 16 with diverging prongs 17 on its legs arrangedto straddle shank 1 and abut lugs 18 on the shank. The structure of thehandhold tube and terminal assembly are detailed in a copendingapplication Ser. No. 195,360 filed Nov. 3, 1971.

A takeup nut 20 (FIG. 2) rotatably mounted on the outer end of handhold14 engages the end of an adjacent drawbar 21 which may be retracted orprojected as described above with reference to draw bar 8 to tighten orloosen tie 7 which is shown as a flat band. A transverse screw 17 (FIG.2) connects the ends of the tie to the split end of drawbar 21 and isreadily inserted through the drawbar and band, or removed when the baris projected beyond the end of the tube.

Handhold 15 and associated drawbar 18 and takeup nut 22 are attached toshank l by a relatively short flat band 24 which encircles shank 1instead of the beaker and, when tightened, secures the handhold to theshank.

The two handholds 14, 15 may be firmly gripped between the fingers andpalm of one hand to manipulate the beaker. Similar handholds may becombined otherwise than as shown; for example, one may be applied tolugs such as 18 but nearer the lower end of shank 1.

An additional clamping device includes a pair of jaws 30, 31 (FIGS. 1,3), one of which may be integral with or mounted on the upper end ofhandle shank 1. Jaws 30, 31 grip a cantilever-like tube 33 split at 34at one end for application to a utensil 35 forming a pan-like containerwhich may be held over the beaker or over a burner if no beaker is used.A drawbar 36, similar to those previously described, is engageable by atakeup nut 37 seated on the outer end of tube 33 to advance or retractthe hook 38 which readily connects or disconnects from the pan stem 39.

FIG. 6 shows another type of support utensil comprising an open ring 40formed of a round rod of metal or plastic and having a steam 41 insertedbetween the jaws 42 of a tube 43, corresponding to tube 33 in FIG. 3,and secured by a drawbar and book (not shown but corresponding todrawbar 36 and hook 38 in FIG. 3. The ends of the jaws 42 on tube 43 areseated in recesses 46 in the ring and when nut 45 it tightened the hookand the recesses form a three point engagement with the ring and hold itagainst disalinement. A relatively small container or test tube (notshown) may be loosely slipped into ring 40 and supported thereby withoutbeing engaged by a flexible tie.

The clamping structures and other parts make for ready application andremoval of the elements of the laboratory apparatus shown. Otherarrangements may be substituted without departure from the spirit of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Handle structure for application to a laboratory container or likeutensil, comprising an upright rigid shank having a pair of verticallyspaced shouldered lugs on each of its sides, a rigid elongated handholdextending laterally from one side of said shank and having an inner endseated against said lugs, means at the outer end of said handhold forclamping said inner end against said lugs, said means comprising aflexible band doubled lengthwise to form a loop adapted for surroundinga container and extending through said handhold, and a threaded rodengaging the ends of said loops and a takeup nut threaded on the outerend of said rod and seated against the outer end of said handhold fortightening said band about the container and thrusting the inner end ofsaid handhold against said lugs.

2. Handle structure as described in claim 1 in which a plurality ofpairs of shouldered lugs are spaced vertically along opposite sides ofthe upright shank, and individual handholds are secured thereto and arespaced apart so as to be gripped by the human hand for holding thecontainer.

1. Handle structure for application to a laboratory container or likeutensil, comprising an upright rigid shank having a pair of verticallyspaced shouldered lugs on each of its sides, a rigid elongated handholdextending laterally from one side of said shank and having an inner endseated against said lugs, means at the outer end of said handhold forclamping said inner end against said lugs, said means comprising aflexible band doubled lengthwise to form a loop adapted for surroundinga container and extending through said handhold, and a threaded rodengaging the ends of said loops and a takeup nut threaded on the outerend of said rod and seated against the outer end of said handhold fortightening said band about the container and thrusting the inner end ofsaid handhold against said lugs.
 2. Handle structure as described inclaim 1 in which a plurality of pairs of shouldered lugs are spacedvertically along opposite sides of the upright shank, and individualhandholds are secured thereto and are spaced apart so as to be grippedby the human hand for holding the container.